SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – Employees of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and close to 2,000 stakeholders of this premier Freeport joined the coastal clean-up on Friday as a culminating activity of Biay Dagat 2022.
According to SBMA Chairman and Administrator Rolen C. Paulino, the “SBMA Coastal Clean Up: Biay Dagat” is part of the agency’s effort to make Subic Bay Freeport attractive to tourists, and investors who intend to make it happen in the Philippines by infusing capital funds in Subic.
The participants conducted clean-up drives at the Waterfront Beach, Lighthouse Resort, Malawaan Beach, Triboa Bay Mangrove Park, Tago Beach, Nabasan Beach, Subic Bay Yacht Club (SBYC) Mangrove Area, Binictican Mangrove, and San Bernardino Road jetty area.
He added that some of the participants also conducted an off-shore cleanup, citing that these participants are called SCOOPsurero who were detailed at the river mouths of the Subic Bay Freeport found in Matain, Kalaklan, and other nearby areas.
“The coastal clean-up is the culminating event of the Biay Dagat. We also conducted online lectures such as the importance and conservation of mangroves and corals, and the role of the public in marine conservation and preservation earlier this week, and a Pawikan online lecture was also conducted on Thursday,” he said.
An infomercial video making contest that started from August 26 and ended on September 19 was also an initiative of the SBMA to give more meaning to this year’s ICC. Paulino said that contestants must adhere to the theme “Anong SilBay Mo?” that should focus on the importance of protecting marine biodiversity and the public’s role in protecting Subic Bay’s marine ecosystem.
The agency also took part in the International Coastal Cleanup 2022 on Saturday at the Lighthouse Marina Resort where more than 200 participants from various stakeholders here joined the coastal clean-up.
Lighthouse management, in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Cubao West also launched a recycling machine that converts collected plastic trash into more durable everyday items such as chairs, trash bins, planting pots, and lumber.
